Styx: Master Of Shadows - Review Roundup #2

Styx: Master of Shadows is far from the worst game Iíve played in 2014, and could still end up on a few of our year-end lists, but I think the game couldíve used a bit more time in the oven if it really hoped to appeal to a wider audience.

Though it has all the fixings of a great stealth RPG, Styx: Master of Shadows falls short in a few important categories. The forcible stealth gameplay and recycled maps will frustrate all but the most patient of players, and the combat system errs on the side of being repetitive and unforgiving.

Styx Master Of Shadows is not a terrible experience, it just could have been better. Do away with the mistake of that terrible parry system, put in more checkpoints and pay more attention to detail and this could have easily been a hit straight out of the gate.

Honestly I donít want to hate Styx: Master of Shadows; the verticality of levels is a nice change but the broken platforming makes it a chore to explore. The stealth is challenging and exciting, but the crowbarred mechanics and laughable controls make it nothing but frustrating.

Styx Master of Shadows offers an interesting take on stealth as it borrows elements from the tried and trusted stealth games we all know and love. This is a well designed game thatís somewhat unforgiving as it is brutal, and means only purists are going to find much enjoyment from whatís on offer here

Styx: Master of Shadows feels like a stealth game from ten years ago. That is to say, it feels like a modern stealth game but a little less polished, a little less forgiving, and a lot more open. That's fine in my book, but it's also something I could see frustrating a lot of people.

In some ways Styx feels like a stealth game from an earlier era, but one that's more dated then vintage. It tries to pick up a few tricks from more modern games in the genre, but much of its core wouldn't have been out of place alongside the earlier Tenchu or Metal Gear Solid games. That prospect may sound exciting, but Styx unfortunately finds itself in the shadows of better stealth experiences.

I've not loved their previous game (forgot the name but it came after orc and men); but on the other hand so far user scores are much higher than professional reviewers; and when I grade user scores I see what they write and what else they review so i guess I'll follow this one a bit longer.

I cringe of thinking on trying this game if it's not a 'save anywhere' game. In checkpoint systems with stealth games I always end up rage-quitting, after spending 10+ minutes stealthily sneaking around only to lose the progress for one mistake, I never get too far.